He knew that Maria grew up in foster homes causing her to have a hard exterior, and her only friends were Max and Isabel. When Maria wasn't with them she was alone and she never really talked to anyone else. But now he kind of understood why she kept to herself and why she hesitated when Max went to save Liz. Liz was right, because Maria was scared. He still didn't know if he could trust them though, but he didn't want to be on their bad side either.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Michael asked as he hovered over Maria as she sat under a tree reading a book. Maria looked expressionless and hoped that if she ignored him he would go away. Michael didn't wait for her to reply he just dropped his lunch and sat down.

Maria closed her book; "Actually I was just leaving."

"Don't... I want to talk to you," Michael spoke out.

Maria shook her head, "Look just because you know the truth about us doesn't make you an automatic friend."

"I didn't say we were friends, did I? No, but I can be a helpful ally," Michael told her.

Maria raised her eyebrow; "You want to help us?"

"Yeah," Michael replied biting into his apple.

Maria wasn't quite convinced, "So you had no intentions to go crying alien to Valenti?"

"Only the first ten minutes, but Liz convinced me to give you guys a chance, so I just want you to know that you can trust me," Michael looked into her eyes.

"Trust is something that is earned not given," Maria slipped her book into her bag and she got up and left. Michael realized he had his work cut out for him.

~ ~ ~

"Maria, are you staying for dinner?" Mrs. Evans asked as she took a pot roast out of the oven.

Maria lied, "Um...my foster mother is actually making some...food and I promised I would be...home for dinner."

"Oh, well maybe next time then," Mrs. Evans suggested.

"Yeah okay, can you tell Max and Izzy I had to go home?" Maria asked.

Mrs. Evans nodded, "Sure, maybe Max can drive you home?"

"Oh no, that's okay, I'd rather walk, bye," Maria quickly left before Mrs. Evans insisted Max drive her home.

Maria usually did stay for dinner, but she didn't want Mrs. Evans to think that her life was completely pathetic and that she depended on Max and Isabel for a well-balanced meal.

It wasn't an exact lie because her foster mother was probably making food only for herself. Maria knew that her foster mother didn't cook and when she did go buy groceries it was usually frozen TV dinners. Maria wasn't really looking forward to eating freezer burned food in her small room while she listened to her foster parents argue, but it was her life.

The trailer that she hated to call home was the most rundown in the whole park, because her alcoholic foster father, Hank, never kept up with the repairs. The screen door hung pathetically on its hinges and Maria expected it to fall off when she opened it, but once again it held up.

"Is that you Marie?" her foster mother, Amelia asked as she watched her pre-recorded soap operas in her bathrobe.

Maria rolled her eyes, "Unfortunately." She couldn't stand the way the trailer smelled of cigarettes and alcohol, and she hated the way Amelia always called her Marie. "I thought you were supposed to go look for a job today?"

"God, who do you think you are my mother," Amelia took a long drag on her cigarette.

"And do you have to smoke in here, it's completely disgusting," Maria went on.

Amelia snapped, "I can do whatever I want to because I'm the adult here."

"You could have fooled me, clean up or do something this place is a sty," Maria retorted on her way to her room.

Amelia in her distorted state, "Why don't you clean up, or on second thought why don't you get a job. Yeah, I like that idea, you get a job, because I'm tired of supporting your ungrateful ass."

"Just go to hell Amelia," Maria slammed the door to her room and it made the whole trailer shudder. She sat down on the lumpy mattress on the floor that served as a bed as she slipped off her boots. It wasn't much but at least Maria's room kept out the alcohol soaked air of the rest of the trailer. She lit her vanilla scented candle before she laid down in the fetal position.

Maria couldn't help but think of Max and Isabel having a delicious dinner with parents that loved them. And here she was lying on an old mattress trying to drown out the sound of Amelia and the blaring TV. Maria quickly got up and opened the bottom dresser drawer. She grabbed twenty dollars from her stash in the pickle jar and slipped her boots back on. Maria put on her favorite leather jacket and blew out the candle.

"Where do you think you're going?" Amelia demanded slowly trying to get up.

Maria didn't bother to stop, "Out, don't wait up."

She quickly opened and closed the door and Maria felt better the further she got away from the trailer. Maria walked with no idea where she was going. She considered going back to the Evans's, but quickly decided against it. Maria realized that she was standing in front of the place where it all happened, the Crashdown Cafe.

"Going in?" a familiar voice asked from behind.

Maria didn't move, "It's probably not safe to return to the scene of the crime."

Michael asked before going in, "Were you going to eat?"

"The thought did cross my mind," Maria started to turn away. "But there are other food establishments in town."

"I can sneak you in through the back where I can guarantee there won't be any disruptions," Michael offered.

Maria hesitated for a minute; "No one will bug me while I eat?"

"I promise, no nosy tourists or law enforcement figures of any kind," Michael persuaded.

Maria could feel her stomach grumbling with hunger and that decided for her, "Just as long as I can eat in peace."

"Deal," Michael led her around the side to the back. "In here." He took her to the small break area. Maria sat down on the couch as Michael quickly retrieved a menu from the serving floor.

"Thanks, I guess," Maria felt a little awkward being there. She quickly decided what she wanted and told him. "I'll have the Mulder Melt with cheddar cheese and a Cherry Coke, oh and a bottle of Tabasco sauce."

"Coming right up, um...there are some magazines over on the table to read while you wait," Michael informed her before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Michael, you are like ten minutes late," Liz told him from the serving window.

Michael put on his apron; "I had a good reason. Can you get me a Cherry Coke?"

"A Cherry Coke, Michael you just go here," Liz pointed out starting to fill an empty glass with ice.

Michael put a chicken patty on the grill; "It's not for me it's for Maria."

"Maria?" Liz raised her eyebrows.

Michael relayed what had happened, "I found her in front of the Crashdown debating whether or not to come in. I kind of figured she thought that someone inside would recognize her. You know from the other day."

"I don't think anyone really noticed her. Those two weird tourists were suspicious but I don't think they would connect Maria into all of this. Valenti might not even know," Liz drummed her fingers against the counter top as she watched Michael prepare Maria's food.

"She is still scared and completely untrusting right now," Michael added fries to the plate.

Liz returned to filling up Maria's Cherry Coke, "Here don't forget this." She placed the cold beverage on the counter and added an alien straw to it. "Wait, you don't think she'll get offended by this." Liz gestured to the straw.

"Liz, this is Roswell, it's not like she never had an alien straw before," Michael pointed out how ridiculous she was being.

Liz answered honestly, "I am just still getting used to the idea of...Czechoslovakians in Roswell."

Michael understood what she meant, "Me too." He took the plate and drink in hand and delivered it to Maria. About twenty minutes later he went to check up on her. "How's the food?"

Maria snapped, "I thought you said no one was going to bug me."

"I didn't say that would include me," Michael laughed but Maria didn't crack a smile. "Why do you hate me so much?"

Maria rolled her eyes, "I don't hate you, I mean come on I don't even know you. All I know is that my life is in your hands." Michael didn't say anything because he knew that she was right. "So do you have a newspaper I can look at?"

Michael nodded, "What section?"

"Classifieds," Maria finished the last of her Cherry Coke.

"I'll be right back," Michael went out to the serving floor to retrieve a newspaper for Maria. "Hey Liz can you get me a refill of Cherry Coke?"

Liz came up to him looking overwhelmed; "You can get it yourself."

Michael was a bit taken aback by Liz's reaction, "What the hell is bugging you?"

"Sorry," Liz apologized. "Agnes is sick and Ashley just quit so we are short handed."

"Oh," Michael pulled a newspaper from the machine and then went to pour another glass of Cherry Coke for Maria.

"Is Maria still here?" Liz asked before returning to her customers.

Michael held up the Cherry Coke, "Yeah I was just bringing her the paper."

"Why don't you become my waiter?" Liz suggested playfully.

Michael laughed, "Ha Ha very funny." He went through the moving doors to the break room. "Here I thought you would like a refill," Michael handed Maria the glass of Cherry Coke.

Maria responded, "Just as long as I don't have to pay for it."

"Oh, and here are the classifieds," Michael held out the newspaper.

Maria grabbed the soda and the paper, "Yeah thanks." She set the glass down next to her empty plate and opened the paper.

Michael watched as Maria uncapped a marker and scroll down the want ads, "Are you looking for a job?"

"Among other things, and speaking of job, don't you have one to get back to," Maria didn't even look up.

Michael ignored her because he had a brilliant idea, but before he could tell Maria he had to ask Liz first. "Liz I need to ask you something?"

Michael followed her as she refilled water glasses. "I'm really busy Michael. Can't it wait," Liz turned and walked away.

"I might have found a replacement for Ashley," Michael hurried behind her.

Liz stopped in her tracks, "OK, I'm listening."

"Well...Maria is in the back room right now combing the classifieds for a job," Michael began hoping Liz would get the hint.

Liz got what he was saying; "You want me to give Maria a job...here."

"Come on Liz you need a waitress and she needs a job and I know you are desperate because you asked me to wait tables," Michael persuaded. "And I'm sure Max will stop by more frequently too."

"Oh shut up," Liz blushed. "OK, if she wants Maria can work here."

Michael gave her a small smile, "Cool, I'll go tell her." When he returned to the break room he saw Maria completely absorbed in making circles around possible jobs. Michael quickly pulled the paper away.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Maria protested her eyes looking wild.

Michael declared, "You won't be needing this. I talked to Liz and she says you can work here."

"What makes you think I want to work here?" Maria got to her feet and stared at him eye to eye.

"One of our waitresses just quit and we could really use your help," Michael wanted Maria to understand that he wasn't a threat to her.

Maria looked away and shook her head; "I don't think so."

Michael was losing ground, "Waitresses can make good money in tips...and I'll throw in free food."

Maria was now tempted because it meant that she didn't have to spend that much time listening to Amelia bitch at her and she didn't have to intrude on the Evanses family dinner. "OK, fine," Maria muttered under her breath.

"What?" Michael pretended he couldn't hear her.

Maria rolled her eyes; "Fine I'll take the damn job."

"I just want you to know that you actually have to be nice to the customers in order to get a big tip," Michael informed her.

Maria threw him a dirty look; "I can be nice."

"Well I've never seen that side of you before," Michael said.

Maria snapped, "Oh shut up."

"Michael our orders are getting backed up, get your butt back in here!" Liz quickly entered the break room attempting to get her friend back to work.

Michael announced to her, "I found our new waitress."

"Great," Liz smiled at Maria. "Let me find you an uniform and you can start tonight."

"Tonight," Maria raised her eyebrows.

Liz nodded, "We really need your help."